Thread by @araisokun

1. In May 2020, @danieliyam, listing some songs, asked which is Nigeria's "biggest ever wedding song?" I weighed in, listing a couple of oldies. Since then I'd thot of doing a #thread on #NigerianOldMusicians.
I start 2day with Ambrose Campbell. Pls RT.

https://twitter.com/danieliyam/status/1256503176116744192?t=7V8-WG-KyKCk5-FVo6TgbA&s=19

2. Campbell, a pioneer of pioneers was born today 103 years ago.
Here's the interview which the icon reportedly described by Fela as "the father of modern Nigerian music" had with Osaze Iyamu. It was published in the "Nigeria Monthly" mag in Apr 2005.
drive.google.com/file/d/17M5Rcr…

3. Nigeria Monthly was published by TaijoWonukabe Ltd - which I co-founded in 1995 - for @FMICNigeria to "accentuate the positives of Nigeria." I was its editorial director. My key collaborators were @ChidoNigeria & @ogbenyiegbe. Chief Emeka Chikelu was the founding minister.

4. In that interview, you'd see that Mr Campbell himself acknowledged Tunde King as one of the originators of juju music, so-named because of the throwing of tambourine in the ensemble. So, who was Tunde King?
thenet.ng/11-things-you-…

5. Musical Interlude 1: A not-so-juju piece by Ambrose Campbell.

6. Musical Interlude 2:

Tunde King sings a dirge for one Ronke Macaulay. Listen to "Aronke Macaulay". The beating of
ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀ is quite pronounced in the song.

7. Another pioneer of another genre is Abibu Oluwa, described by Alade Odunewu, in "How to be a good Lagosian" (TaijoWonukabe, 2010) as "the philosopher king of Sákárà music" which Oluwa gifted to Ìsàle Èkó. Yusuf "Baba Lẹ́gbà" Olatunji, Salami "Lefty" Balogun etc., followed him

8. Thanks to Jamiu, son of Salami "Lefty" Balogun, we find that Abibu Oluwa too not only had a master in one Adamu Ilorin, who played Seli - "a combination of aro, saworo and handclapping" (Wikipedia) - he was also not originally from Lagos.
Watch:

9. Here, the grandson of another Sákárà legend, Yusuf Olatunji, Abideen, and @gkbtwo, a public commentator and one with a deep knowledge of Yoruba culture, take us on an exploration of the genre and Olatunji Senior's contributions.
Watch.

10. Hakeem Adenekan (1967-2020) made spirited attempts to revive Sákárà. This is hoping that his associates will continue where his death stopped the project. Ire ò. Kàbìtì.

https://twitter.com/culturedispatch/status/1194165146710618112?t=j_84B6_8f8euXGPbgia6XQ&s=19

11. Let us stay in Lagos for a bit, where the Wúrà Fàdákà Band led by Julius Adeniyi "Biddy" Wright - his granddad was Biddy - held sway. He died in November 2000. Acc'd to Yvonne Wright, Biddy was assassinated. Listen to a popular Wúrà Fàdákà song.

12. There are many other musicians who made Lagos rock 'n' roll.
Fatai Rolling Dollar, Chris Ajilo, Bobby Benson, Kayode Fashola, Ayinde Bakare, Adeolu Akisanya, Oladunni Decency, etc. We'll dwell on a couple later.
Listen to Ajilo's Èkó ò gba gbere.

12. Special Interlude:
Fàájì Àgbà produced and directed by Remi Vaughan-Richards @singingtreefilm

Watch:

Read:

filmfreeway.com/470665

13. Music Interlude 3:



N.B: This is dedicated to my late brother Gabriel Ibitayo Obe who was a supra fan of the Bàbá Ètò. He collected all his songs on vinyl, cartridges and cassettes.

14. Bobby Benson (real name: Bernard Olabinjo Benson) was an entertainment maestro. Some of Nigeria's great musicians started out playing with him: Eddie Okonta, Victor Olaiya, Roy Chicago, Zeal Onyia, Victor Uwaifo. He was The Godfather.
fb.watch/eW8ixsal64/

15. Now, Fela may have called Campbell "the father of modern music" but his own grandfather, Rev Josiah Likoye Jesse Ransome-Kuti, who composed many popular Yoruba Christian hymns, was the first Nigerian to release a record album.
thehistoryville.com/josiah-ransome…

16. Speaking of record albums, Melodisc Records was the label which released most of Campbell's songs. Founded this month 63 yrs ago by Austrian-born American citizen, Emil Edward Shalit, and his business partner Jack Chilkes.
afrodisc.com/west-africa/we…

17. Interestingly, a great Nigerian musician was Artistse & Repertoire Manager at Melodisc and he produced Ambrose Campbell et al & his own music there. Guess who? It's Uncle Steve Rhodes. Here's a Nigerian Monthly feature on him, also by The Tam Fiofori.
drive.google.com/file/d/17UITIh…

18. This is a good time to meet The Tam Fiofori, in case you missed this.
mytori.ng/i-love-being-a…

19. Back to Uncle Steve. Another Nigerian he produced at Melodisc was Adam Dagogo Fiberesima, one of Nigeria's widely-known art musicians. Fiberesima's most acknowledged work is The Opera Opu Jaja. Here, a tribute by @ogieeboigbe
epa.com.ng/2019/07/08/the…

20. Besides Fiberesima, Nigeria has been blessed with such globally acclaimed art musicians as Fela Sowande (Pic 1), Ayo Bankole (Pic 2), Akin Euba (Pic 3), Sam Akpabot, Laz Ekwueme and Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko. Tx to Olabode Omojola for this insight.
books.openedition.org/ifra/610?lang=…

21. Musical Interlude 4:

22. Musical Interlude 5.



NB: Prof Laz Ekwueme, the younger brother of Nigeria's late Vice President Alex Ekwueme, is the traditional ruler of Oko Kingdom in Anambra State. He is 86 years old.

23. Musical Interlude 6.

24. I found this piece on Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko and I also found that she is on Twitter: @Jinlobify. Hello, ma'm. Trust that you are well.
You know, I hope you do, that apart from being a music scholar, she is an author.
web.archive.org/web/2016062513…

(TO BE CONTINUED)

25. We're staying with the womenfolk in the next few tweets & who else to start with than Alhaja Batile Alake, Queen of Waka Music, who, great Ben Tomoloju reminded me, had been around since Haruna Ishola and Ayinla Omowura held sway in Àpàlà music.
dawncommission.org/alhaja-batile-…

26. Here comes another Queen: Madam Comfort Omoge. Born the same year with Ambrose Campbell (1919), her breakthrough song is "Ọlọ́run mì...." She died this month in 1999. Here, an insightful piece on her by @MichaelOrodare.
thenet.ng/celebrating-co…

27. Musical Interlude 7.

Madam Comfort Omoge and Madam Mujidat Ogunfala

28. Meet another Queen: Nelly Uchendu, the original singer of "Love Nwantiti", her debut in 1976, which was a hit. She was aptly named the Lady with the Golden Voice. She was on vocals in Prof Sonny Oti's group. Let's listen to "Wakabout".

29. We mentioned her in #12 as 1 of those who made Lagos rock 'n' roll. Serifatu Oladunni Oduguwa, better known as Oladunni Decency or Queen Mummy Juju or First Lady of Juju was a guitarist & a band leader. From Epe, she died in 1978 at 28. Her last song.

30. When in '78, she released "First Time Out", the music world had to listen. Keenly. Dora Ifudu 'd been a co-host on NTA's hugely popular "Bar Beach Show". She proved she was not a fluke with "Second Time Around (Twice As Much)". Tx to @petermooreworld for this extract.

31. Music Interlude 8.
Theadora Ifudu's First Time Out.



By the way, Dora's sister, Vera, was also on the NTA, but she was a reporter.

32. She was called "Afrikan Oyinbo". But, beyond what she was called, she was in a class of her own, especially with her exotic musical videos. That's talking about Tyna Onwudiwe. Here, again, @MichaelOrodare captures her essence well.
features.neusroom.com/tyna-onwudiwe-…

NB. The next tweet will be #34 as I have just discovered that I repeated #12. Taking a break, meanwhile, to look for abincin.
Hope you are having fun.

34. She was also on the NTA. It was where she did her national youth service after her studies/work in the USA. In 1982, she released her debut, "For the Love of You". Onyeka Onwenu, named "Elegant Stallion" by Azuka Jebose Molokwu, is a diva in the sun.
docs.google.com/document/d/1B3…

35. Music Interlude 9.

Onyeka Onwenu ft. KSA

36. Started as a teen singer. Became known nationally on NTA network's sitcom, Masquerade, as Apena, wife of Jegede Sokoya. Released her debut album, "Freedom", at 17. Mrs Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe, the "Nigerian Lady of Songs," 1st female Prez of PMAN, died at 51 in 2011.

37. Special Interlude 2



The charmed artisticlife of Mrs Christy Uduak Essien-Igbokwe and interview with the hubby, Edwin.

38. For several decades at every year's end, the Christ Apostolic Church Good Women Choir's song, "Ọdún ńlọ s'opin" gets massive airplay.
This woman, Deborah Adebola Fasoyin, has, for that long, been the face or the leading voice of the group.
punchng.com/nearly-fainted…

39. Special Interlude 3.

Sis D. A. Fasoyin in a special appearance with the @DaystarNG choir.

40. One was acclaimed Queen of Waka Music (see #25) while this one was installed by a beaded-crown-king (Aláàfin) with the title. Salawa Abeni released her 1st album in 1976 at age 16 and it reportedly sold 1m+ copies. And, she's a "gentle lady."

NB.
Taking another break. There are still at least 55 artistes to be featured.
Best.